Method of treating zinc-bearing materials.



C. A. H. DE SAULLES.

METHOD OF TREATING ZINC BEARING MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. I915.

1215,06. Patented Feb.6,1917.

IN VEN TOR.

.dust or blue and, preferably,

run erm ne PATENT WWWEO CHARLES inn.

DE SAUIIILES? OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD or TREATING ZINC-BEARING MATERIALS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. H. DE

'SAULLEs, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding. at New York city,

in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York, have invented acertain new and useful Improve terial, such as metallic zinc or spelter,by

which the capacity of production may be largely increased and by whichmetallic zinc The novel hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates an apparatus adapted tocarry my invention intoeifect,

Figure l is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section. 1

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1,'thefeeding funnel being removed anda ladle being shown inserted into the expansion chamber.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts inthe diiferentviews.

1 designates a furnace of the usual type and'2 a cylindrical retortmounted therein having a downward and rearward inclination,- charge 3contained therein will have. its greatest depth at the rear end of theretort.

The rear end of the retort is normally closedby a closure 4, comprisingfire clay or some other suitable material, at the upper side of which isprovided an opening 5 adapted to receive the. small discharge end of afeed funnel 6, Fig. 1, into which molten zinc bearing material isadapted to be Mia, V.

poured. I

The upper end of the retort 2 is provided adjacent to its upper sidewith a. discharge opening 7 through which zinc vapor passes into ahorizontally disposed condenser 8, the discharge end of which extendsinto one side of a vertical expansion or collecting chamber 9,preferably rectangular in cross section, and provided at its oppositeside with anopening 10 adapted to be normally closed by a closure 11;

The lower side of the condenser 8 is preferably provided with a pocket12, which is powder may be obtained in. large quantities and exceedingfineness.

features of my invention are whereby the molten W Specification ofLetters Patent.

adapted to receive and hold molten spelter 13, Fig. 2.

For the cooling of the zinc vapor in passing through the condenser 8,the condenser may be en circled by a tube 14, between which and thecondenser 8 may be providedasbestos, in any r Patented Febfi, 19117., iApplication filedJune 19,1915. Serial No. 35,150.

purpose of preventing too sudden suitable form, or some other suitablenon 1 heat conducting material.

In the carrying of iny improved method into'efi'ect, the zinc bearingmaterial, such as metallic zinc or poured in a molten 2 through the feedfunnel 6.

spelter, to be treated is condition into the retort.

After the charge has been inserted, the feed funnel is removed and theopening 5 closed by a suitable plug 16, of fire clay or other suitablematerial.

The furnace 1 is then firedso as to heat the charge 3 of molten materialto a temperature of approximately 1350degrees centigrade.

. The zinc in the charge will be vaporized and driven from the retort 2through the discharge opening 7. and into the condenser 8. The condensertemperature, if desired, that a portion of the zinc vapor, say from 25to 50 per cent. will be liquefied and collected in the form of 'spelter13 in the pocket 12 of the condenser.

The remainder of the zinc vapor will pass from the condenser into theexpansion or the collecting chamber 9, in which the vapor will rapidlyexpand, and by reason of such rapid expansion and the relatively lowtemperature at which the interior of the chamber 9 is retained, thelarger portion of the zinc vapor which enters the chamber 9 will heprecipitated therein in the form of very fine zinc dust orblue powder.-

From time to time the closure 11 of the expansion chamber 9 may beopened and a ladle 17 inserted under the discharge end of the condenser8, after which the molten spelter 13 in the pocket, 12 of the condensermay be scraped into the ladle l7, and in such ladle removed from theapparatus.

By opening the closure 11 at suitable intervals, the temperature in theexpansion chamber 9 may be retained at such a point that the zinc vaportherein will be precipitated very fine particles.

For the purpose of removing the molten lead in the charge 3, the rearclosure 4 is provided at its lower side with adischarge open- 8 isretained at such a a through the opening 10 and lead represented in Fig.2 by the solid dotted lines 19 may be withdrawn by grav- 5 ity. As soonas the molten lead has been removed, a plug 18 is reinserted.

An important feature of my invention consists'in-charging the retort 2with zinc bearing material in a molten state. As ordinarily practised,the zinc bearing material is placed in'the retort in the form of slabsor other solidified condition. In such treatment of the material, alarge amount of heat is required to reduce the material to a moltenstate. With my improved method, the

' capacity ofthe apparatus is very much increased. 3

By driving the zinc vapor through the condenser 8 i to the expansionchamber 9,

and heating the molten charge to a tempera- -ture of apprpxim'ately 1350degrees centigrade, and then rapidly expanding the zinc vapor in theexpansion chamber 9 at a relatively low temperature, much finer bluepowder or zinc dust is precipitated in the expansion chamber than isobtained in the ordinary a paratus for producing zinc dust in which t econdenser is eliminated and which the charge is heated to a-temperatureof approximately, 1150 to 1200 degrees centigrade.

In the usual treatment of zinc bearing material, the retort ishorizontally disposed and the material is inserted, after the removal oftherear closure in the form of slabs or solid chunks; When anew chargeis to be inserted, the rear closure must be removed at intervals of 18to 24 hours, thereby consuming time and labor, which consumption 40 inmy method is to a great extent eliminated. Furthermore the frequentremoval of the rear closure effects a reduction in the temperature vofthe retort, thereby increasing the cost of fuel and requiring a certainlength oi.- time for the retort to become reheated to the propervaporizing temperature. With ,my improved method in which the zincbearing material is poured into the retort in a molten'condition, it isunnecessary to remove '50 the end closure, and the time required toraise the molten charge to the vaporizing temperature is much less thanis required with the ordinary processjust referred to.

By employing a rearwardly inclined retort having in its end closure anopening for the withdrawal of lead and other impurities,

it is unnecessary in the practiceof 'my improved-method to remove theend closure, excepting at long intervals for the purpose Copies of thispatent may be obtained for of removing accretions which will gradually.

form on the interior periphery of the retort.

I do not limit my invention to the structure herein shown and described,nor to the precise steps herein set forth, as modifications, within thescope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from thespirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. The method consisting in charging a retort withmolten zinc bearing material, vaporizing the zinc in the charge, andthen permitting the zinc vapor to rapidly expand at a relatively lowtemperature to form blue powder.

2. The method consisting in charging a retort with molten zinc bearingmaterial, vaporizing the zinc in the charge, then .passing the zincvapor through a condenser which is retained at a temperature at which aportion of the Vapor will be condensed into spelter, and then permittingthe remainder of the zinc vapor to be rapidly expanded at a relativelylow temperature to form blue powder. I

3. The method consisting in charging a re tort with molten zinc bearingmaterial, heating the charge to approximately 1350 degress centigrade,and then permitting the zinc vapor to rapidly expand at a relatively lowtemperature to form blue powder.

41. The method consisting in successively charging a retort, in acontinuous operation, with charges of molten zinc bearing material,vaporizing the charges, and then permitting the zinc vapor to rapidlyexpand at a relatively low temperature to form blue powder.

5. The method consisting in successively charging a retort, in acontinuous 'operation, with charges of molten zinc bearing material,heating the charges to approximately 1350 degrees centigrade,' and thenpermitting the zinc vapor to rapidly expand at a relatively lowtemperature toform blue powder. I

6. The method consisting in successively charging a retort, in acontinuous operation, with charges of molten zinc bearing material,vaporizing the charges, then passing the vapor through a condenserretained at a temperature which will permit-a portion of the vapor tocondenseinto spelter, and then have signed my five cents each, byaddressing .the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

permitting the remainder of the vapor to rapidly expand at a relativelylow tempera-

